This is the next post in the series inspired by my mom’s core values. Read here for the background.
A favorite hobby of my mom was gardening. Together, we shared a love of plants and tending to the landscape. It’s not only a great way to spend time outside in nature, but also to stay physically active (move!).
One fall, I spent some time thinking about the look and feel of my front landscape. Boxwoods lined the bed, fronting a trio of Japanese yew shrubs creating a tidy but uninspired look. I wanted a landscape with character, personality, and beauty. My mom and I set out to improve the situation. So, we went to the local garden centers (yes multiple!) to pull inspiration from the expanse of orphaned plants. At first, we came home with a couple of blue-pointed junipers to add a vertical, evergreen interest. We planted a few camellias for their fall-blooming beauty and azaleas to provide a spring and early summer show.
These shrubs were great additions to the front of the house, but there was one tree that really caught my eye; an arbequina olive. It was the only one of its variety at this nursery. The poor thing was pushed up against the fabric-lined fence giving it a slightly deformed structure. But I was drawn to this tree. Its leaves, both green and silver seemingly danced in the sunlight. The olive tree is a magical-looking plant. I pointed it out to my mom and she suggested we get it and plant it in my yard. I was hesitant. I didn’t have a lot of space in my flower beds, and the landscape was already home to a little gem magnolia tree. I told her that I would think about it.
Over the next two weeks, I visited that olive tree no less than four times. Once with my wife to earn her stamp of approval and other times alone… just me and the tree. Finally, after talking to my mom about the olive tree for what must have been the 50th time, she said we were going back to the garden center and buying it right that minute. Before I could protest, we had that olive tree in the back of the truck and brought it home. I was nervous about the soil conditions and really didn’t want to kill this beautiful specimen. To make room front and center, we transplanted the magnolia to a new home in another part of the yard. It was struggling given the tough dirt conditions and lack of water drainage. We did our best to amend the soil and improve the drainage to make the area hospitable. We used all of our strength to lower the root ball into the earth and tucked it in. Standing on the sidewalk, looking at the newly planted tree, I knew it was right.
There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t peer through my front door’s glass panes to admire that olive tree. Planting it with my mom makes it all the more special. She wanted me to have it and now that I do, it’s a wonderful memory of her. I can’t wait to share my love of gardening with my daughter and tell her stories of me and her grandma just like this one.
So long for now.
-Felix